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<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=4><b>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE<br><br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica"> <br><br>
CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris
Danielsen
<br><br>
Director of Public
Relations
<br><br>
National Federation of the
Blind
<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension
2330
<br><br>
(410) 262-1281
(Cell)
<br><br>
<a href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org">cdanielsen@nfb.org</a>
<br><br>
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</font><div align="center"><h1><font size=4><b>McCarran International
Airport Discriminates Against Blind Passengers<br><br>
<br>
</b></font></h1><h2><b>National Federation of the Blind Files Suit Over
Inaccessible Kiosks</i></b></h2></div>
<font face="Helvetica, Helvetica" size=5> <br><br>
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica"><b>Las Vegas, Nevada (March 30,
2011):</b> The National Federation of the Blind and four blind
individualsAlan and Billie Ruth Schlank, Joyce Pratt, and Mark
Adreonwho frequently fly or plan to fly to and from Las Vegas through
McCarran International Airport, have filed a class-action lawsuit in the
United States </font><font face="Garamond">District Court for the
District of Nevada </font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica">against Clark
County, Nevada; the Clark County Board of Commissioners; and the Clark
County Department of Aviation, which administers McCarran International
Airport. McCarran uses common-use self-service (CUSS) ticketing
kiosks that employ a visual touchscreen interface without any auxiliary
aids, such as a voice guidance program, and therefore cannot be used by
blind passengers. Passengers who are able to use the kiosks can
access information about flights, check in for flights, print tickets and
boarding passes, select seats, upgrade to business or first-class cabins,
check baggage, and perform other transactions relevant to their air
travel plans. </font><font face="Garamond">CUSS kiosks are unique
because they are owned or controlled by the airport instead of by
individual airlines and allow passengers to access most of the airlines
operating at McCarran from any machine.
</font><font face="Helvetica, Helvetica">The suit alleges that the
defendants are violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 because the benefits provided to travelers
through these kiosks are not available to blind visitors to the
airport. McCarran could easily add an audio interface, a tactile
keypad, or interactive screen reader technology that works with
touchscreens to its kiosks, or purchase kiosks with these features, but
has neglected to do so. McCarran has also refused to respond to the
plaintiffs’ offer to work collaboratively on implementing available
technological solutions.<br><br>
<br><br>
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
“Blind passengers have always experienced discrimination in air travel,
but the fact that airports like McCarran are now deploying inaccessible
technology to perform routine travel functions is the greatest threat to
the privacy and independence of blind air travelers that we have
seen. Airports and airlines are engaging in this blatant
discrimination even though the technology to make kiosks accessible is
readily available, has been deployed by others, and involves little
cost. Instead of enjoying the features and convenience of these
kiosks, including a quicker and more convenient check-in process, blind
passengers must either wait in long lines at the ticket counter or share
personal information with strangers in order to use the kiosks. We
will not tolerate a separate and unequal experience for blind travelers
and demand that the defendants cease their discrimination against us as
soon as practicable.”<br><br>
<br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond">Plaintiffs are represented in this matter by
Daniel F. Goldstein, Gregory P. Care, and Timothy P. Elder of the
Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein, and Levy; Laurence W. Paradis, Karla
Gilbride, and Kevin Knestrick of the Berkeley firm Disability Rights
Advocates; and Eric Taylor of the Las Vegas firm Alverson, Taylor,
Mortenson & Sanders.<br><br>
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</font><div align="center"><font face="Garamond"><b>###<br><br>
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<br><br>
<b>About the National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
</b>With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind
is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind
people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people’s lives
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's
blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of
the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in
the United States for the blind led by the blind. <br><br>
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